


let it be me

by littlemsmessy



Series: let it be me [1]
Category: Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: Engagement, F/M, Marriage Proposal, Romance, Yuletide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-31
Updated: 2012-12-31
Packaged: 2017-11-23 01:42:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/616662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemsmessy/pseuds/littlemsmessy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for Nancy Drew Yuletide 2012: Ned asking Carson for Nancy's hand in marriage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	let it be me

**Author's Note:**

> Series: ND Mystery Stories
> 
> Warning(s): None – this one is PG  
> Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine - my name is littlemsmessy, not Carolyn Keene. If these were my characters, I'd be rich right now, and each of you would get a pony.
> 
> Notes: Prompt requested by anonymous
> 
> This story takes place in the early 60s. The song that they dance to at the end is the one that inspired the title to this story: “Let it Be Me”. There will be an epilogue posted to this story in the next week or so – that installment will have a rating higher than PG. 
> 
> On a serious note, I want to thank each and every one of you that’s taken time out of your busy lives over the last year to comment on the stories I’ve posted (both alone and with the sensational ndnickerson and killingstreak). I have appreciated your feedback more than you can ever know. 
> 
> May you have a happy and healthy 2013! 

The buzzing of his desk phone causes Carson Drew to look up from the yellow legal pad he’s perusing, the notes from his client meeting earlier that morning laid out in his careful, measured handwriting.

“Mr. Drew, you have a call holding on line two,” Miss Hansen, his secretary tells him when he picks up the handset. “It’s Ned Nickerson.”

At that, Carson’s pulse begins to race and his nerves begin jangling in fear. “Put him through, please?” He prays that Ned isn’t calling to tell him that Nancy is in any kind of danger.

“Mr. Drew?” His daughter’s friend sounds tentative.

“Hello, Ned. Is there something wrong? Is Nancy okay?” Carson has visions of his little girl being held captive in an old, run-down hunting cabin down near the Indiana state line, or trapped in the trunk of a psychotic madman as he sped towards Canada.

“Sir, she’s fine.” Carson lets out the breath he had been holding ever since Miss Hansen had identified the caller as Ned. “I just talked to her ten minutes ago, and she told me she was gathering up some old clothing in her closet for a charity drive and has plans to meet her friend Helen Corning Archer for supper later.”

Relieved, Carson settles back in his chair and begins toying with the silver pen resting next to his notepad. “So, how can I help you, Ned?”

“Actually, sir…” Ned stops. “Sir, I was calling to ask if you had some free time this week.”

Carson chuckles. “Need some legal advice?”

“No, that’s not it. I need to talk to you about something else.” Carson can hear nervousness reflected in his voice.

Puzzled, Carson peruses his appointment book and flips through the pages to check his appointments for the week. “I’m free at two tomorrow afternoon, Ned. Would that work?”  
  


“Unfortunately, I have a meeting at work then.”

“What about Friday morning? If you can’t come here, I can put you on my calendar and give you a call?”

Ned clears his throat. “I’d prefer not to talk about this on the phone, if you don’t mind. I was thinking more along the lines of supper - if that’s all right.”

“Supper on Thursday evening would work,” Carson tells him, trying to keep the surprise out of his tone.

Great,” Ned replies, obviously relieved.

Once they’ve settled on a time and place, Carson adds the entry to his calendar. “Since my office is fairly close to the orphaned children’s charity where Nancy will be volunteering on Thursday, shall I plan on picking her up so we can meet you at the restaurant?”

Ned clears his throat again, and Carson wonders if his daughter’s friend is coming down with a cold. “Sir, I’d rather you not mention this to Nancy. It would just be you and I having dinner.”

Carson’s pulse rate spikes again, but this time for a very different reason. “I see,” he replies, careful to keep any type of inflection out of his voice. “And would there be a reason why you’re asking me to dinner without my daughter present?”

“There is, sir. But I’d rather wait until we meet in person to explain why.”

Carson has a feeling that he already knows exactly why, but he holds his tongue. “That’s fine, Ned. So, barring any emergencies, I will see you on Thursday evening.”

“Yes,” Ned agrees. “Thank you so much, Mr. Drew. I know you’re very busy and I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me today – and agreeing to meet me for supper.”

“My pleasure, Ned.”

After the call ends, Carson stretches and gets out of his chair to look out of the large windows in his office. They face the street, allowing him to watch the passersby as they hurry through the busy downtown center of RiverHeights.

One woman stops to lean over the pink stroller she’s pushing, handing her baby daughter back the toy she had dropped. The baby smiles up at her and waves her arms in delight.

Carson can remember when Nancy was that age – there had been a stuffed bear that she had had tucked under her arm at all times, and she had literally cuddled the stuffing right out of it.

Now, if Carson’s hunch is right – and his hunches usually are - his little girl is about to get a marriage proposal.

Where had the time gone? It seemed like just yesterday when he and his young wife had brought Nancy home from the hospital – and in some ways, like it had been just yesterday that his wife had passed away. She hadn’t been that much older than Nancy is now, he realizes with a jolt. Carson suddenly feels like an old man – and a sad old man, at that, he admits to himself.

Carson’s feelings have nothing to do with young Mr. Nickerson. He likes Ned very much and he’ll make a fine son-in-law. Ned’s completely crazy about Nancy, always has been, and Carson has no doubt that Ned would be a devoted, outstanding husband to his daughter.

_It just seems so soon!_ he thinks to himself, conveniently forgetting that he and his wife were around the same age when they had married.

Nancy’s always been his baby - his assistant and companion. How can he even begin to imagine coming home and not hearing her rush down the stairs to greet him? Not having her sit across from him at the supper table, her blue eyes wide with interest as she eagerly interrogates him about his latest client in hopes that it would lead to a mystery for her to solve?

Because it’s always been just the two of them for so long, Carson’s going to find it extremely difficult to let Nancy go. The house will seem dark and empty once she moves out and into a new home with Ned. Oh, he’s positive that she’ll come back to visit and spend time with him talking about his cases, but it won’t be the same. Soon, she’ll have children of her own, and all of her energy will be focused on them and on her husband.

Carson knew this day would come one day, but now that it’s here, he feels old and more than a little sad.

\--

Ned carefully planned his arrival so that he’d be ten minutes early, unwilling to keep Nancy’s father waiting even a minute.

He checks in at the hostess stand and when he describes Carson as a tall, brown-haired man in his late forties in a well-tailored suit, the pink-lipsticked, bouffant-coiffed hostess just gives him a look. Ned glances around the restaurant and realizes that he’s just described three-quarters of their clientele.

After discerning that Mr. Drew isn’t here yet, Ned exhales in a sigh of relief. It takes a lot of self-control for him not to pace the waiting area; instead, he sits on the plush banquette, crossing and uncrossing his legs.

Finally, Carson arrives. If he’s curious about the reason Ned’s invited him here alone, he’s hiding it well - but then, Ned would have expected nothing less from an internationally respected criminal defense attorney.

The hostess guides them through the large dining area, her high-heeled shoes sinking into the plush carpet. The conversations of the other patrons are muted by the elaborately embroidered wall draperies and the sounds of their silverware and plates are muffled by the thick tablecloths. There are probably deals worth tens of thousands of dollars being made at half of the tables, but you would never know it from the sedately low buzzing of conversation.

Ned has never been to this restaurant before, but he’d certainly heard about it– how could he not, when it was consistently written up as one of Chicago’s best? His boss loved to take out-of-town clients here for dinner and/or drinks, and the place never failed to impress them. The day afterwards, the clients never failed to rave about the thick, marbled steaks, vintage liquors, and the oysters so perfectly briny that it seemed that they’d been harvested from the ocean an hour before their meal.

Ned knew full well that the check would be equivalent to a quarter of his monthly rent, but he felt the splurge would be worth it. After all, he couldn’t ask Carson the question he had on his mind at just any old place, now, could he? It was entirely too important to risk a night as crucial as this one by going to some average restaurant.

Once they’re seated and handed menus, Ned defers to Carson when it comes time to place their drink order.

“Still enjoy scotch, Ned?” When Ned nods, Carson orders two glasses of a top-shelf brand of the liquor. Ned tries not to panic at the thought of how much the drinks will cost and prays that he’s brought enough cash with him.

It’s as if Carson has read his mind. “Before you argue with me, Ned, I would like tell you now that I’d like to pick up the check tonight.”

While he’s relieved at the idea of not having to cover the tab, Ned shakes his head vehemently. “No disrespect intended, sir, but I invited you and I’d like to pay.”

“Yes, I know - and it’s very generous of you - but I insist.” One look from Carson and Ned knows better than to argue with him. “Next time you can get the tab. Consider this a thank you for all of the times you’ve rescued my daughter from a life-or-death situation – treating you to a nice dinner and some good scotch is the least I can do.”

“Well, thank you, sir, but it’s not necessary.”

The waiter arrives with their drinks; once they order their meals, Carson takes a sip of his scotch.

“Nice and smooth,” he comments. “So, Ned, how are your parents?”

“They’re doing well,” Ned replies, sampling his own drink. “Dad just negotiated another home sale, and my mom is going back to school to get her teaching certificate.”

“Very nice. Oh, and please thank them for inviting me to their holiday open house – I’ll call your mother and let her know I’m coming.”

“Great – they’ll be pleased.”

“And you? All settled into your new apartment?” Carson takes another drink.

“Yes – it’s working out great for me. Very close to the office.”

“And how’s the job? Nancy told me that you’re already up for a promotion at work.”

Ned suddenly feels sympathy for all of the people that Carson Drew has interrogated in a courtroom over the years. He has no idea how they managed to keep their composure and not confess every sin they’d ever committed since the day they were born.

Somehow, he manages to keep his cool and not stutter. “No, I haven’t heard yet – still waiting to hear whether there’s been a decision about who will fill the open position.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll get it, Ned – you’re a smart man and a hard worker.”

“Thanks,” Ned says with genuine modesty. Carson isn’t the type to give out compliments for the hell of it, so it’s nice to receive his praise. “I just hope that they feel the same way; after all, I’ve only been at the company for a little over a year.”

“I’m sure they will,” Carson tells him confidently.

They make small talk for a while, Ned’s anxiety growing with each passing moment. His girlfriend’s father is an incredibly intelligent man, and he probably knows damn well why Ned’s invited him here tonight, but Carson keeps the conversation light.

By the time their entrees arrive, Ned’s a nervous wreck, and his stomach is in knots. He thinks that Carson will be receptive to what he wants to ask him, but then again, they are talking about his darling only daughter.

Carson cuts into his tender filet mignon and stabs some of the crabmeat resting on top of the steak onto his fork before taking a bite. “Outstanding, as usual.”

Ned samples his own steak, nearly swooning with delight from the combination of rich, buttery meat and delicately sweet seafood. “Now I know why everyone says such great things about this place.”

They continue to chat about unimportant matters as they enjoy their steaks. Once they’ve both finished their meals, Carson gives him the opening he’s been looking for all night.

“So, Ned, I’m sure there’s a reason you’ve invited me to dinner tonight, without Nancy.”

Nervous all over again, Ned surreptitiously wipes his damp palms over the thick cloth napkin on his lap. He can feel the sweat beads running down his back, causing his shirt to stick to his skin. Instead of selecting his best suit to wear tonight, maybe he should’ve chosen the shorts and sport shirts he uses for working out.

Pushing aside that irrational thought, Ned clears his throat. “Yes. Yes, sir. I asked you to meet me here to talk about something - something important. Very important. And I wanted us to be able to discuss it in private. Without Nancy knowing about it.” He’s dangerously close to babbling, and he wants to smack himself for it.

“I see.” There’s that damned blank expression on Carson’s face again. Ned would hate to play any betting-related games against him if there were money at stake – he’d lose every time.

“Mr. Drew-“

“Carson,” his girlfriend’s father corrects him. “You’re an adult and we’re having a man-to-man talk after a meal with some fine scotch and perfectly cooked steaks, so I think you can call me Carson.”

Ned dips his head in acknowledgement. “Okay, then. Carson, I hope you know how much I love and respect your daughter. She’s beautiful, smart, kind, caring, generous… I admire how much she wants to help others with their problems and how dedicated she is to correcting the injustices of the world – she got those qualities from you, sir.

“I’m always so proud of Nancy when she’s able to solve her cases and put the bad guys away – even when she does so at the risk of her own personal safety. She’s the most amazing, incredible person I’ve ever met, Carson. And just when I think that I couldn’t possibly love her any more than I already do, something happens and I fall even more deeply in love with her.”

Ned waits for the older man to interrupt, but Carson remains silent. “Sir, I consider the day that I met Nancy to be the luckiest one of my life – so far.” He has a brief flash of the wary expression she’d had on her face when he’d moved her car away from the roaring flames of the old Raybolt estate. He’d been amused – and intrigued.

“But that day would pale in comparison to the one when I’d…” He takes a deep breath. “When I’d ask Nancy to be my wife – and she’d somehow, miraculously, say yes.”

The barest hint of a smile appears on Carson’s lips. “And are you planning on asking Nancy?”

Nodding, Ned takes a long sip of water; his throat is suddenly parched. “I am,” he replies simply. “But before I do that, I…I wanted to ask you, sir, for your blessing and your approval.”

Carson signals to the waiter to bring them another round of scotches. “Ned, I don’t need to tell you that Nancy’s extremely independent and does whatever she wants, regardless of others’ opinions.”

“Normally, that’s true, sir,” Ned acknowledges. “But not when it comes to you. Your opinion always matters to her – if she felt that accepting my proposal would displease you somehow, it would give her pause.”

“It may,” Carson admits, “But we both know that if Nancy really feels strongly about something, nothing can stop her from going ahead with it.”

“Right. But, Carson, you’re the most important person in the world to her. If she somehow were to find out that you didn’t support the idea of her marrying me, if you weren’t willing to accept my request for her hand, then…” Ned lets the sentence go unfinished, too terrified to even think about what would happen if Carson told him no.

“Nancy’s happiness is the most important thing to me – you should know that by now, Ned.”

“And I do. But I need to feel like you’re happy about this, sir. As we discussed earlier, I may get a promotion soon, and it’s a very prominent firm – I’d be able to support Nancy and me without handouts from anyone.

“And I would never stand in the way of her detective work –her happiness is my biggest priority, just like it is for you, and it always will be. I promise you that, Carson. No matter what happens, I will do everything I can to make sure that she feels loved and supported and appreciated.”

“Ned, I have to admit that I had the feeling you were going to ask me this when you invited me here tonight,” Carson tells him, taking a sip from his fresh glass. “And I also have to admit that it made me a little sad.”

At that, Ned looks up in surprise. “When you’re a father, you’ll understand. It means that my little girl isn’t so little anymore. She’s a grown woman, one who’s ready for her own family now. And I’m losing her. But, Ned – if there was any man I had to lose her to, I’m incredibly glad it’s you.”

The relief coursing through Ned’s veins almost makes him tremble from the force of it. “Thank you so much, Carson.”

“From the first day that Nancy brought you home, I’ve been impressed by how respectful and thoughtful you are.”

Ned calls up the memory of Nancy in that pretty flowered dress and her high heels, her reddish-gold hair gleaming from the light of her front porch. He’d telephoned her under the guise of bringing the ring he’d picked up at the scene of the fire, but it had really just been an excuse to see her again. When he’d said goodbye to her at the door at the end of the night, all he’d wanted to do was press his lips to hers, to smudge her perfect red lipstick until they both began breathing heavily.

“It’s been obvious to me all along how much you love my daughter, and how you’re willing to put aside your concerns for your own personal safety to shield hers, and I am truly grateful that she’s found a man like you. I would be honored to call you my son-in-law, Ned – you absolutely have my blessing to ask my daughter to marry you.”

Ned feels his lips curve up in a wide grin. “Sir, thank you so much – you have no idea how much this means to me. I know how precious Nancy is to you, and your approval is not something I take lightly.”

Carson returns his smile. “The fact that you even asked me first impresses me.” He picks up his fork and takes a bite of steak. “But, Ned, if we’re being candid…Honestly, I thought you would have proposed sooner.”

Ned searches the older man’s face for any hint of a rebuke but he can’t seem to find one. “Truthfully, I’ve wanted to ask her for a long time now. I had originally thought of doing it when I started my senior year at Emerson; then I had considered the weekend of my graduation.”

“And what held you back?”

“A few things, actually. First, I wanted to be certain that I would have enough money for her engagement ring. I had already saved up some from those summers I sold insurance, but it wasn’t enough for the ring I had my eye on.

“Also, I wanted us to be able to put a down payment on a place in River Heights or Mapleton in a year or two – Nancy’s used to a nice home, and I wouldn’t want her to have to settle by living in a tiny apartment like mine after we’re married. She needs somewhere that she can decorate, somewhere with a yard so she can plant those larkspurs she loves so much. And, hopefully, a place with enough bedrooms for when we’re ready to start a family in a couple of years.”

“I admire the way you’ve thought this out, Ned,” Carson tells him.

“Thank you,” Ned dips his head. “I’ve had my mind set on marrying Nancy for a long time now – I just wanted to wait until I was able to provide for her in the way she’s accustomed.

“I also wanted to wait until she was old enough to want to settle down. Since she just turned twenty-one the month before last, I thought the time would likely be right.”

Carson nodded his agreement. “She’s at that age. I assume your parents know?”

“Yes, sir. I showed them the ring after I bought it, and they were thrilled. They’re both crazy about Nancy and have long anticipated having her as their daughter-in-law.”

“Glad to hear it. I think very highly of your parents, Ned – after all, they did a fine job of raising you.”

Carson relaxes back into his chair and changes the subject. “So, how nervous were you in preparing for tonight?”  
  


Chuckling, Ned reaches for his glass of scotch. “I thought you could see me perspiring from your side of the table.”

“I remember what it was like when I asked my wife’s father for her hand in marriage,” Carson reminisces. “I had never been so anxious in my entire life – and had never been so relieved when he gave his approval.”

Somehow, Ned can’t picture the calm, unflappable Carson Drew a nervous wreck about anything – besides Nancy’s safety, of course – so his future father-in-law’s admission sets him at ease. But there’s something still niggling at him.

“Carson, can I ask you a question?”

The older man grins. “I thought you just did.”

“No, another one. Do you think…” Ned’s hesitant to voice the words, but he does, anyway. “Do you think she’ll say yes? I mean, you just mentioned how independent she is, and she may not be ready to settle down-“

Carson cuts him off. “She is extremely independent, but she loves you, Ned. Despite my daughter’s unpredictability, I am almost certain that Nancy will accept your proposal.”

Relaxed, Ned releases the fistful of napkin he’d gripped from his lap without even being aware of it. “Thank goodness.”

The older man laughs. “So, how are you going to ask her?”

“Well, I didn’t want to do it at Christmas, when it would be expected. And Valentine’s Day would be a cliché.” Carson nods. “So I thought I’d do it at the post-holiday dance that a few of the fellows from Omega Chi have arranged. It’s being held at a supper club and we’d already be dressed up…”

“That sounds very nice, Ned. Will you be asking her in front of everyone?”

Ned shakes his head vigorously. “No, sir – I know she’s not a big fan of being the center of attention, and I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. At some point during the evening, I’ll ask her to slip away from the crowd and take her outside so I can ask her there.”

Carson flashes him a brief grin. “You know my daughter very well, Ned. I think she’ll be very pleased that it’ll just be the two of you for such a private moment.”

Ned’s relieved that his future father-in-law approves of his plan. “Yes, and then I can bring her back into the club and we can announce it to the group – I’ll also plan for the band to play a special song upon our return.”

“Excellent. Hannah and I will be sure to stay up and wait for the two of you to return home - we’ll have a champagne toast to celebrate your engagement. Should I also invite your parents to join us?”

Ned smiles gratefully. “That would be great, sir. If, of course, you’re certain that she’ll say yes.”

“I know that it’s nearly impossible to guess what she’s going to do sometimes, Ned, but I am entirely certain about what Nancy’s response will be in this situation.

“Then it’s settled,” Carson says decisively. “If you’ll provide me with the date, I’ll be sure to purchase the champagne and contact your parents.”

  
“Thank you so much, sir. For everything. For agreeing to meet me, for treating me to dinner…but most of all, thank you for giving your consent for me to marry Nancy. I promise you that you’ll never regret it.”

“I believe you, Ned. And wish you courage for the night when you’ll finally pop the question.”

\--

“Ned, you’re acting very strangely tonight,” Nancy tells her friend as the band launches into a slow number. She’s relieved; they’ve already danced to several songs with a quick tempo and she could use a break. And, truth be told, she likes it when Ned holds her close, one hand on the small of her back, as they sway to the music.

“Am I?” Ned replies almost distractedly.

That’s exactly what she’s talking about. Normally, Ned’s incredibly attentive and focused on her; tonight, though, she’s had to repeat herself a few times whenever she’s asked him anything. She’s not used to seeing him this preoccupied by anything other than her, and it’s slightly unsettling.

“Yes. Why, your fraternity brothers have even noticed. I heard Chuck tell his wife that you seem very nervous. It’s all very mysterious, Ned.”

He chuckles. “That’s because you try to find a mystery in everything, Nancy.”

“I can’t help it,” she replies a touch defensively. She wants to wince when she hears the slight sharpness in her tone.

“Oh, no – no, Nancy,” he tells her hastily. “I didn’t mean to offend you and I’m not complaining. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the things I find the most fascinating about you; otherwise, why else would I follow you to the end the world and back as you chase down the bad guys?”

His comment pleases her and she feels her cheeks turn pink.

“Why don’t we go outside and get some fresh air?” he asks her suddenly.

Puzzled, Nancy pulls back slightly to look at his face. “Ned, it’s freezing outside! It’s early January, and they’re calling for snow again tonight! I hardly think that we want to stand around out there when it’s nice and warm in here.”

“What if I get your cloak?” he asks solicitously. “Or I could give you my overcoat?”

She stares at him suspiciously, but he seems set on going out to the patio. “Fine,” she acquiesces, although she still can’t help thinking that he’s up to something.

After they stop at the coat check to retrieve their coats, Ned leads her out to the patio at the rear of the supper club. They’re the only ones out here; everyone else has been smart enough to stay inside, where it’s warm.

Nancy looks around. Despite the frigid temperatures, she finds the patio area to be quite beautiful. The edges of the flagstone are trimmed in poinsettia plants nestled in red foil-wrapped pots, and the branches of the thick fir trees surrounding the patio are weighed down from the snow that fell earlier that week. Each of the trees has been trimmed in strands of white Christmas lights and red velvet bows, and there are also bows wrapped around the quaint lampposts ringing the patio.

“It’s lovely out here,” she tells him, and she can see her breath coming out in puffs.

“Not as lovely as you,” Ned smiles, and she blushes lightly. “Have I told you how incredibly beautiful you look tonight?”

Nancy laughs lightly, but his words please her. The reason she had picked the full-skirted silver tea-length silk shantung dress she’s wearing tonight was because of the way it nips in the waist, discreetly showing off her figure. From the few glances he’s given her when he thinks she hasn’t been looking, Ned’s definitely noticed.

She’s completed the outfit with a pair of silver and pearl combs that had been her mother’s, the pearl earrings her father had given her for her eighteenth birthday, a pair of silver high-heeled pumps, and a matching clutch bag.

“You have been full of compliments tonight, Mr. Nickerson,” she tells him now.

“Well, _you_ are a vision, Miss Drew. Every one of my unmarried or unattached Omega Chi brothers has been staring at you all night – and I even caught one or two of the married and engaged ones looking, too.”

“You’re sweet,” she tells him. “And you have quite a way with words.”

He smiles at her and takes one of her hands into his own. Nancy wishes she had thought to bring out her white dress gloves, which are still sitting on one of the tables inside, but the warmth of Ned’s hands feels nice against her chilled fingers.

“Nancy? Can…Can…Can I ask you something?”

“Heavens, you seem nervous, Ned! Just what is it that you’re up to?” she asks, her curiosity getting the better of her. In all of the time she’s known Ned, she’s never seen him act like this – anxious, unsure, and hesitant.

“You know that I…that I care very deeply for you, right?” he asks her.

Nancy’s suddenly nervous herself. What if he’s about to tell her that he’s going out of the country for a long journey, just like when he went to Hong Kong and South America? Even worse, what if he’s planning on ending their relationship because he wants a girl who doesn’t enjoy things like hunting down swindlers who take advantage of poor people or digging on remote islands for buried treasure?

Her stomach churning, Nancy nods. “Yes – we’re special friends. You care about me and…and I care about you,” she replies softly.

It’s about as bold of a declaration she’s ever made to him about her feelings, even after all of this time, and Ned rewards her with a broad smile. She thinks to herself about how handsome and downright debonair he looks, his dark hair shining in the moonlight.

“What if I want us to be more than friends?” he asks her quietly.

Now Nancy’s nervous for an entirely different reason. “What are you saying, Ned?”

“We’ve been seeing each other for a long time now, Nancy. I’ve escorted you to numerous dances and parties and other social functions, and I’ve accompanied you on trips to help solve your cases. And now that I’m done with school and I have a job – a good job – I’d like to settle down and maybe start a family of my own soon.”

Her heart begins fluttering in her chest. The snow’s started to fall around them, and the thick flakes settle on Ned’s dark, wavy hair. “Oh.” It’s all she can seem to say.

“Yes. And there’s a girl who I’d like to settle down with. She’s kind and smart and compassionate and generous – and the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

Nancy has to remind herself to breathe. “Oh,” she repeats.

“But there’s a problem.”

“Oh?” _Nancy_ _, what’s the matter with you?_ she chides herself internally, biting her lip. _You have a bigger vocabulary than this!_ “What’s that, Ned?”

“You see, I don’t know exactly how she feels about me. I mean, we’ve been going together for years now, but every time I try to pin her down to talk about the future or about our relationship, she changes the subject.”

Nancy licks her cold, snow-tinged lips. “Maybe she’s nervous?” she suggests.

“Perhaps, but she’s not the anxious type. I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and it could be that she’s unsure about me. After all, I know that other men see what I see when it comes to her, and they’re always showing an interest in her. Maybe she’s unwilling to express her feelings because she thinks there’s someone else out there who’s better for her.”

“Oh, no! No, Ned!” she gasps in surprise. “No, that’s not it at all. I mean, she has found some of those men attractive,” he blanches slightly at that but doesn’t interrupt her, “but being with them only makes her miss her special friend.”

Ned moves closer to her, so close that their lips are a breath apart. “Then what is it? Why is she so evasive when it comes to things that have nothing to do with mysteries?”

“Because she’s worried,” Nancy replies softly, without thinking.

A look of surprise crosses his face. “Why on earth would a beautiful, wonderful girl like her would be worried?”

“Because…” Nancy takes a deep breath. “Ned, it’s not as though she doesn’t want things like a home and a husband and children…”

Ned clasps her other hand in his own. “So, then, what is it?” he asks, and he seems genuinely curious.

Somehow it’s easier to talk about things this way – in the third person. “She’s terrified,” Nancy tells him frankly.

“About what?” He still looks puzzled. “Because the girl I know is one of the bravest people I’ve ever met – nothing scares her. She’s chased swindlers into abandoned homes, hidden in the back of a truck being driven by crooks…”

She chuckles at that. “Yes, but that’s different. And it’s sort of the reason why she’s so hesitant. Because…”

Nancy looks away briefly before turning back to look Ned in the eye. His cheeks are red from the cold but the expression in his eyes only reflects warmth. For a moment, his gaze is so intense that she forgets what she wanted to say.

She comes back to herself and shakes her head slightly. “Because she’s found a wonderful man – he’s fun and intelligent and caring and attentive and people naturally gravitate towards him. And he’s been incredibly patient with a girl who breaks dates or leaves in the middle of parties and dances to chase swindlers into abandoned homes and hide in the back of a truck being driven by crooks.

“But how long will he remain patient? What if she’s lucky enough to have him ask her…”

Nancy falters slightly at this, and there’s the briefest hint of a smile on Ned’s face. “What if they have a serious talk about their future and he tells her that once they’re engaged or married, he wants her to stop with her mysteries and be a proper wife? One who’s expected to have dinner on the table at a certain time and spend her days at Garden Club or Junior League or volunteering with their child’s PTA?

“She’s certainly fine with doing those things – in fact, she likes them very much,” Nancy adds quickly. She’s looking for some sort of reaction from Ned, but he continues to stare at her with that little smile on his face, as if he’s patiently waiting for her to finish. “But the thought of that being all she’ll do, all day long…Well, Ned, it makes her feel…claustrophobic.”

When she’s silent for a minute, Ned finally speaks. “Is that all of it?”

Nancy nods slowly. “That’s the only reason she’s held back all of this time? It hasn’t been because of her lack of feelings for her friend?”  
  


“No,” she replies honestly. “That’s never been it, Ned.”

The snow is coming down harder now, but she can barely feel the cold – the flakes swirling around them are only serving to make their conversation seem even more intimate. It’s like the two of them are in their own private snow globe, away from the rest of the world.

“So, let’s drop this pretense of talking around the topic at hand, okay? Nancy, I…I love you,” he tells her quietly, and it thrills her to hear those words on his lips for the very first time. “I always have – from the very first day we met at that fire and I took you and Bess and George for ice cream while we waited for your car to be repaired. One look at you and I was a goner.”

Nancy smiles. “Ned, I-“

He shakes his head and holds up his hand. “No, please. Please let me finish?” She nods her assent. “From that very first day I knew, Nancy Drew. You were the one I wanted to be with – now and forever.

“I’ve been saving up, you know,” he tells her suddenly. “Those summers that I worked at selling insurance? Sure, I spent some of the money taking you out on dates and accompanying you to places like Turkey for your cases, but I put away most of it so I could buy you a ring one day.”

Nancy can barely breathe as his words sink in. “Ned-“

He holds up his hand again and she falls silent. “But I wanted to save even more so I could get you a really special ring and also put down a payment on a home. And I wanted to make sure I had a good job with a good company so I could support us. That’s the only reason I haven’t brought this up until now, in case you were wondering.”

She had been, but she didn’t want to interrupt him again. “Then when I went to your father…”

“You spoke with Dad?” Nancy can’t help but interject.

Ned nods. “I know how close the two of you are, and it seemed only right to ask for his permission. Not that you aren’t capable of making your own decisions,” he says hastily, “but I wanted to be certain that he approved.”

“And did he?”

Laughing, Ned briefly pulls her close and she’s disappointed when he releases her – not just because of the warmth, either. “He did. He said that it was up to you, of course, but that he would give his blessing.”

“Oh.” Again, it’s all she can seem to say.

“And I had the hardest time deciding how I was going to ask you. I thought about Christmas or New Year’s, but that seemed too conventional for a girl like you.”

_He knows me so well,_ Nancy thinks to herself with an inward smile. “So is that what we’re doing out here?”

Ned swallows hard and she sees his Adam’s apple bob. “Nancy...” Her heart races when he suddenly kneels down on one knee in front of her.

“Nancy…I think you are the most incredible girl I’ve ever known, and I love you with all of my heart. I promise to spend my life making you happy – and if that means that you’ll continue to solve mysteries, then so be it.

“I would never hold you back – I love you the way you are, and I don’t want to change one single thing about you. Because if I did, then you wouldn’t be the Nancy that I fell in love with.”

He pauses, and Nancy has to remind herself to keep breathing. “Every time I see your face or think about you, it fills me with such joy, sweetheart. I still can’t believe that you chose me as your special friend when you could have your pick of any man in the world.

“So please let me be the one you’ll share the rest of your life with, the one you’ll grow old with. Please, _please_ say you’ll do me the incredible honor of being my wife.”

He reaches beneath his overcoat into his suit pocket and withdraws a small box, which he holds out on his flattened palm. Nancy’s hands are trembling, and not from the cold, as she accepts the box and opens the lid.

The sparkle of the medium-sized square-shaped diamond on the simple gold band is magnified against the black velvet of the box. “Oh, Ned,” she breathes. She has to blink because her eyes shimmered with tears.

“Do you like it?” he asks anxiously.

She looks up and catches the look of nervous expectancy on his face. “Ned, it’s so beautiful! It’s perfect!”

Suddenly, she realizes that he’s still kneeling in front of her. “You’ll catch a chill from the snow on your pants!” she exclaims.

Ned waves his hand dismissively but rises to a standing position. “So, what do you say?” he prompts her gently. “Will you marry me, Nancy?”

Nancy plucks the ring out of the box. “Put it on me, please?”

Nodding, Ned takes the ring from her and reaches for her left hand. She can feel his hands shaking as he gently slides the ring onto her fourth finger. They both stare down at the gleaming diamond and then look up at each other, smiling.

“You know, you still haven’t officially said yes yet,” he teases, playfully tapping the pad of his index finger against the tip of her nose.

She blinks up at him in surprise. “Ned…Ned, I love you, too.” It’s the first time she’s uttered those words to him and his grin gets even wider upon hearing them. “I have for a very long time now, but I’ve been too afraid to tell you in case you changed your mind and decided that you wanted a normal girl.”

He laughs at that but she continues. “You know what I mean. If you had told me that you had to find someone else, someone whose sole focus would be taking care of you and your household, then…it would have destroyed me.”

They’re in the middle of what’s practically a blizzard by now, but neither of them moves or bothers to bat away the flakes coating their hair or faces.

“I love you so much,” Ned murmurs. “How on earth could I find anyone as perfect for me as you are? I love that you’re so smart and brave and how you bring such adventure to my life.”

“You do?” she asked tremulously.

He wraps his arms around her waist in answer and pulls to him. They stare at each other for a moment before he bends his head down and captures her mouth in a gentle kiss. The closeness of his body and the sensation of his lips on hers is heavenly, and she actually feels lightheaded when he pulls back, a reluctant look on his face.

“So, Nancy, you still haven’t answered me,” he says seriously.

“Oh!” she gasps.

He gives her a teasing grin. “Is that all you can say tonight?”

“Well,” she teases back, “forgive me if I’m not at my best. After all, you’ve been full of surprises tonight, Mr. Nickerson,

“Quite a feat, if I do say so myself, considering that my girlfriend – sorry - _fiancée_ ,” they both beam when he says the word, “my _fiancée_ is the world-famous girl detective, Miss Nancy Drew.”

“Who else knows about this?” she asks.

“Well, my frat brothers, obviously.” Ned nods towards the supper club, where they can barely make out the figures of his Omega Chi brothers and their wives and girlfriends dancing and laughing and chatting through the driving snow. “And your father and Hannah, and my parents-“

“Your parents know, too? And they’re happy about it?” Mr. and Mrs. Nickerson have always been nothing but warm and kind to her, but she suspects that they likely would have been pleased if Ned had found himself a girl who only cared about being a wife and mother.

“Nancy, are you kidding?” he asks incredulously. “They adore you – almost as much as I do.” He leans in for another kiss, and Nancy’s amused at how comfortable he now seems with kissing her; before, he was always tentative, even when he was just pressing his lips to her cheek.

“Really?” she asks, and she’s relieved.

“Really,” he confirms with a nod of his head. “So, how about it, beautiful girl?”

“Yes!” she squeals delightedly. “Ned, of course I’ll marry you!” Nancy holds up her hand to admire her ring, which looks like it was made just for her hand.

He kisses her again, gently at first, but she’s surprised when she feels the very tip of his tongue brush against her lips. Puzzled, she automatically parts her lips slightly and is even more amazed when he slowly slides his tongue into her mouth and brushes it over hers. It feels so incredibly good – and so incredibly intimate.

After a minute, Ned seems to come to his senses and quickly pulls back, his breathing slightly heavy. “Nancy, sweetheart, I am so sorry. Please forgive me for taking such liberties with you. I know we just became engaged, but I had no right to do that – right out here in the open, where anyone could walk out and see us, no less.”

Nancy puts her hand to her mouth, letting the tips of her fingers linger over her lips. What he’s just done was probably inappropriate, but she can’t bring herself to chastise him – the warm swipes of his tongue against hers set off a simmering in her belly, one that she’s never felt before.

“It’s all right, Ned,” she whispers, placing her hand on his overcoat-covered arm and patting it reassuringly.

“No, it isn’t,” he says, appearing slightly embarrassed. “I told your father that there would be chaperones tonight, and I’ve practically taken advantage of you in public.”

“It’s all right,” she repeats. “I…I liked it.”

Ned looks as shocked as she feels admitting it. “You did?”

Nancy nods once. “Yes,” she says softly. “Very much. It felt nice to be close to you like that. What...what is that called?”

He gives her a tender look. “It’s called French kissing, sweetheart.”

“It figures that it would be French,” she says wryly, and they both laugh. “So, now that we’re engaged…will we be doing more things like that?”

If she thought Ned was surprised before, he’s now completely astonished. “I…I…it’s up to you, sweetheart,” he stammers. “I imagine that we’ll kiss like that, if you want to – but only when we’re in private, of course. But once we’re man and wife, there’ll be even more things that we can do together…” He ever-so-subtly raises one eyebrow.

At first, Nancy doesn’t quite understand what he means; once it sinks in, she flushes crimson. “Oh.”

“And there’s that word again,” he teases lightly. “But that’s still a long way off; after all, I’ve just proposed, and I’m sure you want us to be engaged for a while, and I’ve waited this long…”

“I don’t,” she tells him. “Ned, I don’t want to wait – we’ve already been together for so long, and I can’t imagine dragging things out. Plus, I’ve always loved the idea of a Christmas wedding.”

“Really?” he asks as if he can scarcely dare to believe it.

She nods. “Maybe we could even have it here – after all, it’s now even more special to us.” He smiles at that and brings her left hand up to his mouth, kissing the knuckle of the finger that’s now wearing his engagement ring.

“Ned?”  
  


“Yes, sweetheart?”

“When we are married…I know that we’ll…”

She lets the sentence linger, waiting for him to finish it for her; when he doesn’t, she struggles to find a way to say what she’s thinking. Even the idea of it is extremely mortifying; voicing the words aloud is even more so. “We’ll be together…at night…in our own bedroom…”

Mercifully, Ned seems to catch on and his smile gets broader. “We will, sweetheart. And as much as I’m looking forward to that – I mean, _really_ looking forward to it.” At that she blushes crimson again. “I have no problem with waiting until our wedding night. You’re a good girl, and I wouldn’t do a single thing to harm your reputation, Nancy.”

“Thank you,” she whispers, although she’s still curious. They’ve never had any type of a discussion about things like this before, and it seems almost surreal to be talking about them now. “So, on that night, we’ll…do more French kissing?”

He laughs at that. “Yes, if you’d like us to. We’ll kiss and touch before we…”

Ned breaks off his sentence, shaking his head slightly. “Forgive me, Nancy – I shouldn’t even be speaking to you about this. It’s not something we should be talking about.”

“Why not?” The question comes out before she can stop herself. “I mean, we’re engaged now and we just said that we want to be married in less than a year.”

“Yes, but…it’s unseemly for me to talk to you about our wedding night activities when we aren’t yet wed.”

“So, we’ll be doing unseemly things together in less than a year, but we can’t talk about them now?”

Ned chuckles. “My curious, unconventional Nancy. It won’t be wrong of us to discuss this once we’re married, sweetheart; now, though…”

She holds her ground. “Ned, I want to know. You just said yourself how curious I am.”

Ned stares at her for a minute and then heaves a great sigh. “Very well. Nancy, on our wedding night, we’ll probably check in to a fancy hotel, one with a honeymoon suite with a large bed. Then you’ll put on something from your bridal trousseau, and…”

He swallows hard and it appears that it’s taking a supreme effort on his part to continue. “And we’ll kiss and touch, like I said, before I take off whatever nightgown you’ve put on for me.”

Nancy knows that her face must be bright red by now. “And then?” Her voice comes out as a croak.

“Then we’ll kiss and touch some more…then we’ll…Nancy, we’ll have marital relations.”

She almost asks Ned to elaborate, but they’ve already gone entirely too close to a boundary that they have no business crossing right now. If her father knew what they were discussing, he’d surely be furious with Ned and his consent to their marriage would likely disappear.

“Why don‘t we change the subject, sweetheart?” he asks, brushing snowflakes out of her now-damp hair. “There is a whole supper club full of people who are dying to congratulate us and see my diamond ring on your finger.”

Nancy laughs at that. “Well, we wouldn’t want to disappoint them.”

“We sure wouldn’t. And they’ve all been so incredibly good about keeping the secret from you – not an easy task. I thought Bess would burst.”

“I can’t believe she held it in for so long,” Nancy marvels. “After all, she was with me when I went shopping for this dress – no wonder she insisted I get something special for tonight!”

Ned chuckles. “I’m even more impressed now.”

She turns to go back to the club, but Ned puts a hand on her arm. “One more kiss? Please? We won’t have the chance when I bring you home – our parents and Hannah will be waiting for us with champagne.”

“How nice!” Nancy beams.

“Yes, your father wanted to go all out for his little girl. A hint of things to come as we make preparations for the wedding, I’m sure.”

Laughing, Nancy nods. “I’m sure.”

She lifts her face for his kiss, which doesn’t involve his tongue this time around, to her slight disappointment.

After a minute, she pulls away. “Come on, Mr. Nickerson – time to share our good news!”

Ned holds out his arm to her, and she takes it as they walk back inside, both of them excited to witness the others’ reactions to their engagement.

Nancy has been under the impression that they’d somehow slip into the crowded supper club and round up their friends to announce their engagement. What she hasn’t anticipated was that there would be people with their faces pressed up against the cold windowpanes, breathlessly awaiting their arrival.

The minute she and Ned walk in, Nancy barely has time to savor the delicious warmth of the club before a great cheer erupts and everyone rushes to greet them.

Nancy laughingly shows off her ring to many sets of eager eyes and accepts hugs and kisses from their friends; meanwhile, Ned’s the recipient of hearty handshakes and backslaps from his fraternity brothers.

Nancy is about to ask Ned for a glass of punch when he leads her to the dance floor, apparently with other ideas on his mind. The crowd automatically parts and the orchestra begins to play a romantic song that’s been wildly popular on the radio over the last several months.

Ned pulls her to him and they begin to dance.

“I picked this song just for you, sweetheart,” he tells her, his breath thrillingly close to her ear. “Because I’m so glad that you’ve let it be me.”

As Nancy and Ned continue to sway to the music, surrounded by their friends, Nancy feels an overwhelming sense of joy rise within her. She can’t wait until they’re dancing like this again at their wedding.


End file.
